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The Price of Leaving Afghanistan
In 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan and embarked on what would become America’s longest military conflict. Since the inception of the Afghanistan war, America has spent $2.26 trillion on war efforts.
Twenty years and four presidents later, Joe Biden announced in April the withdrawal of all American troops from Afghanistan, marking an end to the 20 year war. The withdrawal of troops doesn’t signify the end of the war completely, but marks the end of America’s involvement.
At home, there is no longer an appetite for the war in Afghanistan. In a recent poll, 58% of Americans agree with Biden’s decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan. However, this so-called victory may be short-lived.
During the two decades-long conflict, America made small gains in health, education, and women’s rights but failed to build a stable democratic Afghanistan. Life expectancy rose from 56 to 64 years, literacy rate increased 35%, and access to clean water rose 73%.
The longevity of these gains hangs in the balance as uncertainty looms for Afghanistan. While America has spent trillions of dollars to sustain a 20-year war, the cost of withdrawal may be worse.
At first blush, critics cite a vacuum created for nefarious actors to fill the void left by American troops. America’s departure could…
